Bengaluru: Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo HD Deve Gowda on Friday confirmed his presence in the grand consecration ceremony at Ayodhya Ram Temple on January 22. 

Along with Gowda, his wife Chennamma Deve Gowda,  HD Kumaraswamy's wife, and son Nikhil will participate in the long-awaited event. 

"I will go to Ayodhya (for Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha). Myself, my wife, Kumaraswamy's wife and Nikhil are going. They have arranged a special flight for January 22," the former Prime Minister told news agency PTI. 

Gowda was formally invited for the inauguration of the newly built Ram temple by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 10, according to reports. 

Mr. Gowda took to social media and expressed his happiness over receiving the Ram Mandir invite. 

“I was delighted to receive an invitation for the inauguration of the Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya. The Chairman of the Ram Temple Complex Development Committee Nripendra Misra, Senior RSS leader Ram Lal and Senior VHP leader Alok Kumar met me at my New Delhi residence today," he said.